The Hunt
by HaliaeetusLeucocephalus
Summary: A short story about Nuka and Vitani. xx


"No, no, no," drawled the scrawny lion lounging casually against a rock, "That's not how you hunt. Your prey will hear you a mile off," and with that he unhelpfully turned his attention back to studying his claws.

His younger sister turned angrily to glare at him. "As if you could do it better, Nuka," she sneered, "When did you last catch anything?"

Jumping up as if stung Nuka hissed in outrage at the smaller lion. "I...You...I can...grrrr!" Words failed him so he contented himself with stalking away from Vitani.

Laughing at him Vitani followed her brother. "Not very good with words, are you?", she teased smugly.

Before she had time to duck or jump away Nuka's paw flew out and smacked into the side of her head with enough force to send her sprawling in a heap in the dirt at his feet. As she struggled up again, looking livid, brushed the dust off her fur and tried her best to look dignified, the older lion collapsed on the ground sniggering in helpless mirth.

"Whatever, Nuka. Laugh all you want, but when we get home I'll tell Mother all about this! And about how you didn't help me learn to hunt because you were too busy doing other things!", the lioness announced with a self-satisfied smirk and disappeared behind the nearby rocks.

Alarmed Nuka shot upright, leapt to his feet and ran after her. "Oh, come on, Vitani. You wouldn't really tell Mother, would you?", he whined as he caught up with her, "She would be so mad. It was only a joke! Come on, Vitani. I'll show you how to hunt now. Not good enough? Um...I'll give you that antelope leg I've been saving...or that bit of warthog." He trailed along beside his sister giggling nervously.

She had spotted a flock of birds pecking at the ground a little way away from them and ignored Nuka as she stalked slowly towards them, crouching low to the ground and trying her best to be as silent as possible. As they neared the birds Nuka's voice startled them and they took flight in a cloud of brightly coloured feathers. "Nuka! Now look what you did!", Vitani howled and swiped at him with her claws.

"Hey, sorry. How was I supposed to know you were trying to catch one of those? Who eats those horrid, stinking birds anyway? Yuck! I don't see why you need me here anyway. It's not fair. You don't even want to talk to me. There are much better things I could be doing, you know."

Furiously Vitani hissed, "Yeah, like what?"

"Loads of stuff. Better stuff than teaching a baby like you how to hunt!", Nuka snapped back.

"Baby!", the lioness exploded, outraged, "I'm not a baby!"

Nuka opened his mouth but before he had a chance to answer Vitani suddenly sprang forwards and clapped a paw over his mouth. She gestured across a small stretch of long, dry grass to where a herd of zebra were just visible resting in the shade a some trees. Their argument temporarily forgotten the two lions ducked out of sight into the thick undergrowth and crept forwards, licking their lips hungrily.

"I can catch one by myself. You wait here," Vitani mouthed with such a fierce glare that her brother didn't even contemplate arguing with her. On her own she advanced on her prey, silent as a mouse. Almost there. She could smell the delicious, meaty smell of the zebra's skin, feel the heat coming off them. _I've got you now_, the lioness thought and sprang, claws out, straight at the nearest animal. At the last second the creature must have seen something move out of the corner of it's eye. It shied suddenly to the side and the whole herd turned in a panic and galloped frantically off across the plain. Vitani was left lying on the ground, where she had landed in a heap, trying to get her breath back. When she eventually clambered to her feet she could hear manic laughter from the long grass.

Stepping out of his hiding place, shaking with laughter, with tears of mirth actually running down his cheeks, Nuka had to grab hold of a tree to keep himself upright. "Hey, Vitani," he chocked out between sniggers, "I thought you could catch one by yourself. Elegant. Loved the part where you missed completely. Go on, do it again!"

Without bothering to answer the young lioness set off at a run, heading for home. She would rather go hungry than give Nuka another reason to laugh at her, she though angrily. There were always other times when she could go hunting, preferably without that idiot.

Cursing Nuka set off after his sister. He was hungry and had no intention of letting her leave early without having actually caught anything. "Hey! Wait for me!" In a few bounds he was running alongside her. "Come on, don't go back now," he moaned, "We haven't got any food yet."

"Well, you catch something then, if you're so perfect," Vitani spat at him.

Adopting a pleading tone Nuka stepped in front of his sibling. "Come on, Vitani, I never said that. We could catch something together, then we both get the credit. Sound fair?"

"Fine." As she didn't really want to go home and admit to the embarrassing fact that she had to be one of the worst hunters ever Vitani was quick to agree to this new suggestion. "But if you ever mention anything about this to anybody...," she let the sentence trail off menacingly, drawing herself up to her full height and fixing the older lion with a steely glare.

He gulped nervously and looked down at his paws. When she did that she actually looked scarily like their mother. Nuka shuddered. "Whatever you want. I won't say a word," he purred in a sickly sweat voice.

Half an hour later the two lions were sat in the shade enjoying a delicious meal. In the end it had been Vitani who had actually managed to catch a zebra but Nuka had persuaded her to share with him.

Licking her lips and stretching Vitani got up. "Let's get home, it's getting dark." She glanced up at the velvet blue sky and yawned. Nuka joined her and together they made their way back towards their home and were soon lost in the gathering darkness.


End file.
